Needle-grinding machine.



Patented Apr. 30, l90l.

J. GREGORY. NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(Application filed'J'une 12, 1900.)

9 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

XNVENTER y WWNEBBEE No. 673,122. Patented Apr. 30, I90I. J. GREGORY. NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE. (N M d I) (Application filed June 12, 1900.;

9 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WTNEssEs V E r XuvaN-TuR X mw'fi W No. 673,I22. Patented Apr.- 30, I91.

. J. GREGORY. NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12, 1900. (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Shut 3.

WTNEBE Es XNV ENT u R n4: "cams PETERS 00., Puo'roqmou wAsamorcmy. c.

No. 673,|22. Patented Apr. 30, I90I.

J. GREGORY. NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(N M d l) (Application filed June 12, 1900.)

9 Sheets-Sheet 4.

I I I I WWNESSES g \NvaNTuR No. 673,l22. Patehted Apr. 30, l90l.

J. snaaonv.

NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(Appiicnion filed June 12. 1900.) (No llodol.)

.9 Sheets-Shoat 5.

R m V m W M A,

N No. 673,!22. Patented Apr. 30, 190i.

.1. aneaonv.

NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

- (Application filed June 12, 1900.] (No Model.) 9 Sheets-$heet 6.

WITNESSES I i |NVENTDF\ g4 4 Z W m: mums PETERS co., gnoraumon vqAsmucmn. I16.

N0. 673,l22. Patented Apr. 30,-l90i1 J. emasnnv. NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12, 1900.) (No Model.) 9 Shuts-Sheet 8.

m. 673,!22. Patented Apr. 30, |90|.'

J. eneeonv. I

NEEDLE GRINDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 12, 1900.) (N o M o d a I Fly. 12.

I I 25 2'f L HIIHIIH 9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES GREGORY, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

NEEDLE-GRINDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,122, dated April 30, 190] I Application filed June 12, 1900. Serial No. 19,995. No model.)

To oaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES GREGORY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greensburg, in thecounty of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle- Grinding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in machines for grind ing needles, and has for its object to provide a' machine of this description which shall'automatically feed the needles and carry them in such manner as to present them in'succession toa number of different grinding-wheels and then, the grinding operation being finished, shall eject and deposit them in a suitable receptacle; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the several combinations of elements hereinafter to be fully and in detail explained, and particularly in the means for effecting the intermittent rota tion of the carriers, the means for feeding and holding the needles, and the means for releasing the finished work.

In order that such persons as are skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand its construction and method of operation, I will proceed to describe these in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is an elevation of my machine, the same being substantially one-half actual size. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at the line y y of Fig. 1. detail top plan, one set only of carrying mechanism and one grinding-wheel being shown.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section upon line w w of Fig. 4:. Figs. 6 and 7 are sections similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 7 is on a smaller scale than Figs. 5 and 6in order to show more of the machine.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail vertical sections upon 1 line no of Fig. 4:, showing the feeding mechanism in different positions. Fig. 10 is a detail vertical section at right angles to Fig. 1

of the pitman cam and crank which are shown Fig. 4: is a in section at Fig. 10. Fig. 12is a detail plan view of the parts below the line to of Fig. 5. Fig. 13 is a detail section at the line an of Fig. 6, showing the driving gears in plan. Fig. l4= isa detail front elevation of the curved needle-feeding finger, showing its hub and the cam-groove therein. Figrl5 is a detail plan view of the sliding needle-carriage.

Like numerals and letters of reference denote the same parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

A is the bed-plateof the machine. This is designed to be supported upon a suitable table having a hole beneath said plate for the accommodation of the downwardly-projecting pulley shaft and hanger, or it may be supported equally as well upon any suitable legs. B is a plate parallel with the base-plate A and supported above the latter by means of legs'l. O is still another plate mounted upon pillars 2, which extend upwardly from the plate B. The various parts of the machine are upon or attached to one or more of these three plates. Beneath the plate A is secured a U-shaped hanger 3, in which and a bearing in the plate A is mounted a vertical shaft 4, carrying within the hanger a band-wheel 5, which may be driven from any suitable so nrce of power. Just above the plate A this shaft carries a large spiral pinion b, which appears in plan view at Fig. 3. Between theplates A and B are arranged seven (more or less) shafts 7, which revolve in a horizontal plane. These are supported,- by preference, in cruciform mountings, which consist of a vertical pillar S and a horizontal tubular portion 9 to contain the shaft. Upon its inner end each of these shafts carries a sharp-pitched pinion 10, which meshes with the central pinion 6. It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 3 that these shafts arearranged in different horizontal planes. This is for the purpose of economizing space and permitting the whole number of shafts to be driven from the single pinion.

From the band-wheels l l belts 12 extend upward for the purpose of driving grindingwheels 13, each of which is journaled in a suitable housing 14 on the top of the plate 0 and which also may be in a position slightly inclined from a horizontal. As will be readily understood, each of these wheels revolves independently, though all are driven at substantially the same speed.

In conjunction with the parts heretofore described my machine contains two other sets of mechanism. The first of these consists of devices whereby the needle-blanks are fed one at a time to the carrier and the second consists of the mechanism whereby the carriers are caused to move with an intermittent rotary motion for the presentation of the nee- 4 die-blank to each of the grinding-wheels in in a bracket 19 of the casing 19, arranged There is also a 'releasing'device bearings, respectively, in the base-plateA-and 1 between 'the platesB and C, said casingserving to inclose certain parts of themechanism, as will be presently explained. thisvertical shaft 18 that power is applied to the feeding and carrying mechanisms jus't referred to.

Upon the upper end of the shaft 18 is secured a spiral pinion 20, which meshes with 1 a gear 21 on a shaft 22, (see Fig. 1,.) WhlGlll latter is journaled through the casing 19 and bears upon its other end a 'gear 23, this con- ,1 struction being clearly indicated at Fig. 12.

This gear 23 meshes with a larger gear 24 on a transverse shaft 25, the other end of which bears a crown-gear 26 outside the casing.

Within the casingand secured upon the shaft 1 25 is a disk 27, having upon its periphery four radial friction-rollers whose axes project radially from said disk. (See Figs. -7 and 12.

This disk by means of its rollers operates a. large spirally-groovedpinion 29, which is one of the features of my invention.

The pinion is journaled on a vertical axis, as shown, and 3 serves to rotate the attachedcarrier-head with the intermittent movement which is required to Lproperly present the needles "tothe several l grinding-wheels in succession,

The pinion f and its driver also serve to look the carriersj as-against rotation during the time that the needles enter and leave the chuck. Said spiral-pinion-has as many grooves 31 as there are arms upon the carrier. Each groove is of such pitch that its incline equals the distance between thegroovesat topand bottom-thatisj to say, the center line of each groove at the top is in the same vertical plane with the-cen- Q ter line of thenext groove to the left, so to 1 divide each full rotation into eight steps. The

pinion-grooves are cut in curves, each curve being subslantially of the same radius asthe rolls 28 on the disk 27, (see Fig. 5,) and thei pinion is intermittently revolved by means of I= As the disk is carried around by these rolls. shaft 25 a roll enters the top of one of the groove.

' by the cam 33.

grooves and owing to the pitch of the latter revolves it steadily, imparting thereto oneeigh'th of revolution. Before, however, the first roll leaves the groove at the bottom the next roll on the disk enters the top of the next The top and bottom ends of the grooves are nearly vertical for a short dis tance, and therefore while the two rolls are thus in engagement the shaft dwells, and it is at this time that the finished needle is ejected and a new blank inserted. I From its peculiar shape this pinion is ver'y'difficult to show satisfactorily, but a very fair elevation of it appears at Fig. 1, a plan view at Fig. 12, and a vertical section showing one roll engaged and the otherj ust passing out of engagement at Fig. 5. The foregoing constitutes the mechanism by which the head is carried and the movement of the needle into contact successively with theseveral grinding-wheels ac complished. v H

Upon the shaft 22, within the casing 19, is mounted (see Figs.5 7, and 12) a disk 32, having cut in its side a cam-groove33 and bearihganpon its periphery a cam 34. By I'tis through 1 means of these two cams the feeding of the needles is-accomplished. An arm 35, secured on a shaft 36, is given a rocking movement This shaftin its turn rocks an 'arm 37, the parts 35, 36, and 37 combining to act asa lever of the first class. The cam 34, through a bell-crank operates another lever 39 of the first class. Thejarm 37, through a link 37, operates a slide-plate or carriage 40, which, as seen at Fig. 1,is mounted upon a-smalita-ble 41, set -u pon legs or pillars 42 above the plateQ. This slide-plate is-s'hown i'n plan viewat Fig. 15. On its forward end it has a seat 43, at its side two projecting tappetsor fingers 44, a nd upon the same side, but projecting beyond its edge, a stud 45. This stud pla'ysbackward and forward in a cam-groove 46, formed in the hub 47"of a curved oscillatory finger 48, which is journaled upon a shortshaft 49 at the side of the small table 41. This is shown atFigs. 4, 8., 9, and 14, the latter a detail elevation from the in ner side of the hub and finger. I

Upon a small stationary bracket '50 upon the table 41 is fulcru med a bell-crank lever 51. The short arm of this bell-crank extends outward and has its end turned slightly downward, soas to be operated alternately. by the tappets 44 as the latter move with the carriage. The longer arm of this lever 51, as well shown in Fig. 4, engages th longer arm of another lever 52., which latter is'fulcrumed, as at 54, between ears upon a swinging head 55, and this at its upper end is in its turn fulcrumed,as at 56, to the needle-carrying hopper53. Within the swinging head is a slide 57, bearing a downwardly-projecting springfinger 58, and into the slide 57 the short arm of the lever 52 is socketed in such manner as to move the slidelongitudinally whenever said-lever is moved. The movement of the slide by the lever 52 is accomplished during studs 45, running in the cam-groove 46.

the first half of the movement of said lever, and said slide then abuts against a stop 59, which limits its downward movement. For the remainder ofits movement the lever 52 operates to swing the head downward and outward away from the face of the hopper to the position shown at Fig. 9. The eifect of this operation is twofold-first, the longitudinal movement of the spring-finger 58 separates a needle from the mass contained in the hopper, and then the swinging movement of the head carries the needle so separated into the path of the part 48. Fig. 9 shows the needle as just carried into the field of operation of the finger 48, and Fig. 8 shows the needle as carried away from the spring by means of said finger and driven downward into the seat 43 upon the carriage, the spring-finger 58 being at this time withdrawn and ready to descend and separate another needle from the mass. The feeding of the needles is also accomplished in part by means of a swinging gate 60, which is normally held in the position shown at Fig. 9 by a spring 61, but which at each downward movement of the oscillating finger 48 is swung backward to permit the needle to pass, after which as the finger 48 recedes it is again raised by its spring from the position shown at Fig. 8 to the position shown at Fig. 9.

It may be profitable to briefly recapitulate the functions of the parts just described, and, referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 8, 9, 10, and 15, the carriage 40 (shown particularly in Fig. 15) has a sliding movement in the small table 41 about equal to the distance between the tappets 44. When at its extreme limit of outward movement, the seat 43 is immediately underneath the discharge-opening of the hopper and the parts are in substantially the position shown at Fig. 8, the lowermost needle having been carried down to the seat by the movement of the finger 48, which, as heretofore explained, is actuated by the As the arm 37 is carried forward by the cam 33, acting through the parts 35 and 36, the carriage is shot forward from beneath the hopper, carrying the needle with it, and during said movement the finger 48 is lifted toward the position shown at Fig. 9. .Toward the end of the outward movement of the carriage the tappet 44, which is shown at the left of Fig. 15, strikes the short arm of the bellcrank lever 51, and thereby actuates the slide and the swinging head in the manner heretofore explained for the purpose of separating the lowermost needle in the hopper and carrying it to the position shown at Fig. 9 within the field of operation of the finger 48.

The large spiral pinion, as above set forth,

"bears the rotative table 62, having thereon eight arms or projections 63, each of which, as shown particularly at Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, is provided with a needle-carrying chuck. This chuck consists of a hollow spindle 64, supported in bearings upon the table and bearing at its rear end a beveled pinion 67. The forward end of this hollow spindle is split to form jaws 68, and a sleeve 69 encircles the split portion and has a bearing in a bracket 66 upon the table. The inner surface of this sleeve and the exterior of the split portion of the chuck are oppositely tapered, so that forward movement of the sleeve upon the spindle, which is effected by means of the movement of the lever 39, actuated, as shown at Fig. 5, from the cam 34, will operate to close the jaws, and this movement takes place at the moment when the needle lying upon the seat of the carriage is projected outward from beneath the hopper and into the bore of the chuck. A sliding ejector-rod 70 extends through the spindle and is adapted to be moved longitudinally therein, backward by the needle as it enters the chuck and forward to eject the finished needle, as will hereinafter appear.

The bearing 66 supports an oi1twardly projecting arm 71, in whose head is socketed a plunger 72, spring-actuated downward and adjustable vertically by a screwshank and nuts 73. A small block 74, which I term a lifter, is connected to the plunger through a slot in the head for a purpose presently to be made clear. The plunger is furnished with a transverse hole 75, (see particularly Figs. 5, 6, and 7,) into which the end of a slide-rod 76 is adapted to enter at certain times, but from which said rod is normally excluded. The rear end of this rod is turned down at right angles to its length, as shown, and the rear end of the ejector 70 is secured thereto, so that both parts move together.

As has heretofore been mentioned, the table 62 is carried directly by the large central spiral pinion with an intermittent motion. The central portion of the table is cut away, as appears at 77, Figs. 5 and 6, and in this central recess is secured an annular gear 78. A hollow shaft 79 extends through and forms an axis for the large pinion and the table, and around this and within the recess 77 is journaled an 'arm 80, carrying on its outer end a revoluble pinion or small gear 81, which meshes with and is driven by the annular gear on the head. Formed on or secured to the gear 81 is anotherand larger gear 82,which in turn meshes with and drives a crown-gear 83 through a toothed hub 84 on the lower side of the latter, asis clearlyindicated at Fig. 13. With the crown-gear the several beveled pinions 67 engage and are thereby driven to impart to each of the chucks a rotative motion on its axis for the purpose of turning the needle, so that the whole surface will be equally acted on by the grinding-wheels, and the rapidity of this rotation is provided for by the proportions and arrangement of the several gears interposed between the head and the pinions on the chucks. The movement by which the ejection of the needle is accomplished is derived from the crown-gear 26 at the side of the casing 19 through the following el'e-m'entsi Said gear drives a shaft 85 through a pinion 86, (see Figs. 1 and 10,) and said shaft on its lower end bears a cam 87. This in turn acts upon a roll or stud 88 on a slotted pitman 89, whose other end is pivoted to a crank-arm 90, home on the end of a slender vertical rock-shaft 91. This rockshaft extends upward through the large pinion and the hollow shaft, and its upper end carries a small gear 92. (See Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7.) The shaft 91 derives a partial rotation from the crankarm by means of the cam, which acts upon the latter through the pitman; but when the high point of the cam passes the roll 88 the shaft is returned by a torsion-spring 93, one end of which is fast to the shaft 9L and the other to the hollow shaft 79. This appears at Fig. 10. The small gear 921 (see Fig. 2) lies in the open central portion of a slide-block 94, which is provided with a rack 95 on its edge. The partial rotation and return of the gear inengagement with this: rack gives to the-slide-block ashort reciprocatory movement, which effects the ejection of the finished needle in: the manner presently set forth.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Power for actuating the machine is applied to the band-wheel 5-, (see Fig. 1,) and all the grinding-wheels are driven at equalspeeds by the pinion on. shaft 4, the several counter-shafts, and the bands 12. The power for driving the head and the several mechanisms' by which the needle is carried and fed and released and ejected is derived from the secondary shaft 18. I will now trace in detail the course of a single needle, beginning with the time when it leaves the hopper. Referring to Fig. 9,.the needle is first separated from the others in the hopper by the springthe hopper by the curved and vibratory finger 48 and is deposited upon the grooved seat on the topisurface of the carriage, as seen at Fig. 9, the carriage in detail plan being shown at Fig. 15. Then (seeFig. 5) the carriage is act-uatedtoward the chuck by the lever 37. The ch uck-jaws are at this time open, and the shank or butt of the needle enters it and pushes back the ejector to the position shown at said Fig. 5. This withdraws the end of the slide-rod 76 out of the hole 75 in the plunger 74, with which it has been previously engaged in a manner and for a purpose which I will shortly explain in detail, and permits the engagement with the needle-blade near its point, as seen at Fig. 7, thereby preventing any vibration thereof and serving as a support to insure the proper grinding contact.

At the same moment the cam-actuated lever 38 operates the lever 39, and this closes the chuck firmly upon the needle-shank. This operation of inserting and clamping the neodle has taken place during the time when two of the rolls on the disk 27 are engaged with adjacent grooves on the large pinion,

one at the top and. the other at the bottom, which, as has been alreadyexplain-ed, causes the'pinion and the head carried thereby to dwell for an instant. (See Fig. 5.) As the lower roll shown at Fig. 5 passes out of the pinion-groove the roll shown at the top partially rotates said pinion, and this carries the needle whose course we are following away from the needle-feed and, as the rotation continues, brin-gs-it successivelyinto contact with eachof the seven grinding-wheels. During its progress the chuck is constantly rotated by the engagement of the pinion with the crown-gear 83, so as to grind the point evenly on all sides. When the needle has finished its circuit of the grinding-wheels and has arrived at the point indicated by the radial line a, (see Fig. 2,)- the lifter 74E rides up onto a curved rib 95, supported upon legs from the plate 0, and this raises the plunger out of contact with the needle, and at the sametime the end of the depending lever 39 is caused by engagement with an oblique-faced stud 96 to .withdraw the chuck-sleeve and release the needle. (See Fig. 6.)v Simultaneously with with which the gear engages, forward, so as to strike the downwardly-turned end of the slide-rod 76 and push it outward, together with the ejected needle within the chuck. The forward movement of the ejector in the chuck throws out the needle, (see Fig. 6,) and the same movement seats the end of rod 76 in the holes in the plunger 72, which latter has by the lift imparted to the plunger 1 from the rib been raised into-alinement with the end of said sli=de-rod. The chuck is now open and the plunger raised for the insertion finger 58 and is then carried downward out of i of the next needle, whose entrance, as here- 1 tofore stated, releases the plunger by backing oif the slide-rod and ejector.

It a needle fails to feed, the plunger remains raised, and

therefore in making the circuit of the grinders will clear them, so that neither it nor they Q are damaged. derstood (see Fig. 2) that at each one-eighth i of a revolution of the head a needle is dropped iand another inserted; but each is fed: and i then taken-on by the chuck and ground and ejected by the'same mechanism whose action 'ihas just been described, the carriers being multiplied to increase the capacity of the machine.

vnotched end of the plunger 72 to drop into It will of course be readily un- In this my invention I do not wish to be confined to the details of construction which I have herein shown and described, since these may be freely varied without departing fromthe spirit and aim of my invention as studs adapted to engage and rotate said pinion as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a needle-grinding machine, a set of grinders, a feeding mechanism and a rotative carrier-head, in combination with a grooved pinion secured to said head, the terminal parts of each groove being parallel With the aXis of the pinion on different planes, and

the intermediate parts inclined and a d riving-disk having radial driving-rolls arranged upon different planes to each enter separate grooves and rotate said pinion when one roll is in engagement and to lock said pinion when two of said rolls are engaged, substantially as specified.

3. In a needle-grinding machine, a set of grinding devices, a feeding mechanism and a rotative carrier-head, in combination with a driving-pinion secured to said head and Whose grooves are so inclined that the top of each is in vertical alinement with the bottom of the next, and a rotating driver-disk having radial rolls adapted to engage and operate said pinion as and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a needle-grinding machine, the combination with a vertical main shaft having a band-Wheel, of a pinion carried by said shaft, a plurality of shafts having pinions engaging and driven by the pinion aforesaid, a series of grinding-wheels, and means for connecting the horizontal shafts with said grindingwheels for the driving ofthe latter, a feeding mechanism and a rotative carrier-head, a grooved pinion secured to said head, a driven disk having radially-disposed rolls or studs adapted to engage and rotate said pinion, substantially as described.

5. In a needle-grinding machine, the combination of the main driving-shaft bearing a pinion, a plurality of tangently arranged counter-shafts driven from said main shaft, band-wheels carried by said counter-shafts, a series of grinding-wheels supported upon the frame of the machinery bands between said counter-shafts and the grinding-wheels, a needle-feeding mechanism and a rotative carrier-head, a grooved pinion secured to said head, a driving-disk having radially-disposed rolls or studs adapted to engage and rotate said pinion, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotating head having thereon a series of radially-placed chucks each provided With a beveled pinion on its inner end, a centrally-grooved gear for continuously rotating said chucks independent of and at-a higher rate of speed than the head, means for feeding the blanks to said chucks, a vertically-movable plunger or support 72 adapted to engage the blank beyond the chuck and mechanism substantially as described for raising and for locking and for releasing said support, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a needle-grinding machine, the rotating head and means for intermittently turning it, in combination with chucks and means for turning them in their bearings, an ejector extending im othe bore of each chuck, a plunger adapted to engage and support the needle against the grinding-wheels, means for moving said plunger, a locking device for the plunger, a connection between said device and the ejector, and means for imparting to said parts last named a movement whereby the needle is ejected and the plunger locked in its upper position, substantially as described.

8. In a needle-grinding machine, the combination with a rotative table and the needleblank-carrying chucks borne thereon, of an overhanging head bearing a vertically-movable plunger adapted to engage and support the blank from above, means as described for moving said plunger into and out of engagement with the blank, and a movable lockingrod and means for actuating it, whereby the position of the plungers is controlled.

9. In a needle-grinding machine, the combination with the rotary table and means for moving it alternately and looking it in position, of a series of radially-disposed chucks borne upon said table and each provided with a bevel-pinion at its inner end, and acentral crown-gear engaging and continuously operating the several chuck-pinions and rotated independent of and at a higher rate of speed than the head, substantially as and for the pn rpose specified.

10. In a needle-grinding machine, the combination with the horizontally-rotative table, of the central crown-gear and connections between it and the table, whereby it acquires an independent and relatively high speed of rotation, a series of radially-disposed chucks borne upon the table and each provided with a pinion meshing with and continuously driven by the crown-gear, and means substantially as described adapted to effect the opening and closing of the chucks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a machine of the character-described, the combination with a rotative head or table, of a series of radially-disposed chucks borne thereon, overhanging arms each bearing a vertically-movable needle-supporting plunger, a detent for said plunger and an ejector connected thereto and movable in the bore of the chuck, and a movable part, as 94, non rotative with respect to the head and adapted once at each revolution of said head, to actuate the detent and ejector of each chuck, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the rotative head or table and the several independently-rotated chucks carried thereby, and means for opening and closing said chucks, of the ejector-rods 70, slide-rods 76 connected to the ejector-rods, the overhanging arm, the verticallymovable and downwardly-actuated springplunger provided with a locking-hole and seated in said arm, means for raising said plunger out of engagement with the needle, and

, means for imparting an outward movement to the rod 76 whereby the plunger is locked in its raised position, substantially as set forth. 13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with means for carrying and acting upon the needle-blank, of ahopper adjacent to the needle-carrying mechanism, a carriage having a seat for a needle-blank, and means for reciprocating said carriage so as to bring the seat into and out of coincidence with the discharge-opening of the hopper, and a vibratory finger playing through the lower side of the hopper and adapted to carry the lowermost blank therefrom onto the seat.

14. In a machine of the character described, a. hopper for containing the needles, in combination with a slide or carriage, and means for reciprocating the same beneath the hopper,'a finger having both longitudinal and vibratory motion and adapted to separate the lowermost needle from the mass, and a vibratory finger playing through an opening in the lower portion of the hopper and adapted to carry the lowermost needle downward and deposit the same on the carriage, substantially as described. 7

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the hopper, of a gate normally closing the bottom of said hopper, a slide or carriage beneath said hopper, and means for actuating said carriage, a finger for the separation of the lowermost needle from the mass, and a vibratory finger adapted to carry said lowermost needle downward and deposit the same upon the carriage, substantially as specified.

16. In a machine of the character described, a hopper for containing the needles, in combination with a longitudinal reciprocating carriage arranged beneath the hopper, a spring- JAMES GREGORY.

Witnesses:

O. M. NEWMAN, HARRIET L. SLASON. 

